Grinding mill



(No Model.)

D; C STOVER. 5`Sheets--Sheet 1.

No. 4711 345 @BINDING MILL.

- Patented Mar. 22 1892 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII||I||||||||||||||||||| 5Sheets- Sheet 2. D. o. STOVER. GRINDING MILL.

(No Model.)

No. 471,345. Patented Mar. 22, 1892.

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(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

D. C. STOVER. @BINDING MILL.-

'N0. 471,345. PatenteaMar. 22, 1892,.

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Patented Mar. 22, 1892. I

myllin (No Model.)

D. C. STOVER.

GRINDING MILL.

vplete mill embodying my invention.

. Nrrnn STATES FFICE.

2 ATnNr DANIEL C. STOVER, OF FREEPORT, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE STOVERMANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

GRINDING-MILL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 471,345, dated March22, 1892.

Application led May 14, 1891. Serial No. 392,655. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.-

Beit known that I, DANIEL C. STOVER, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Freeport, in the county of Stephenson and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inGrinding-Mills, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates t0 improvements in grinding-mills, and isfullydescribed and explained in this specification and shown in theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective View of acom- Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of the mill through theline 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top plan of the hopper of the mill and thecrushing mechanism located therein. Fig. 4f is a top plan of the base ofthe mill with the grinding and feeding mechanism in place therein, Fig.5 is an edge view of the central burr of the grinding mechanism. Fig. 6is a side elevation thereof, showing its connection with the parts bywhich it is rotated. Fig. 7 is an elevation of the lever, by means ofwhich theposition of the grinding-burrs isregulated. Fig. 8 is atransverse section of the slide, by means of which the feed from thecrushing mechanism to the grinding-chamber is regulated, together withthe means for adjusting the same; and Fig. 9 is a central longitudinalvertical section of the grinding and feeding mechanism and the partsimmediately connected therewith.

In the views, A is the bed or base of the mill, provided with legs a forits support and formed with a downwardly-extending `semicylindricaltrough or depression A', which constitutes the lower half of thegrindingchamber of the mill. Upon this base rests a hollow casting A2having at its center an u D 3 C p wardly-convex semi-cylindrical chamberA2, corresponding in position with the trough A already referred to, andforming therewith the grinding-chamber. Circular openings in the ends ofthe grinding-chamber connect it with the spaces in the ends of thehollow casting A2 and permit the entrance of grain to thegrinding-chamber.4 A spout a', fastened to the upper portion AS of thegrindingchamber in the manner indicated in Fig. 2,

provides for the escape of meal from the grinding-chamber, and a hopperA4, resting upon the casting A2, is adapted to contain grain or othermaterial which is to be crushed and ground in the mill. The hopper, thecasting A2, and the base or bed are bound together by bolts insubstantially the manner indicated in Fig. 1.

In the base A is journaled a longitudinal shaft B, projecting at bothends beyond the base, and a driving-pulley and fly-Wheel are mounted onthe 'opposite ends of this shaft and serve as a means for operating themill. A pinion o is rigidly mounted upon the shaft B and engages agear-wheel o', mounted on a shaft B', which is journaled in the hopperA4 and extends longitudinally through it. (See Figs. l, 2, and 3.) Apinion b2, loosely mounted on the shaft B', engages a second pinion h3,mounted on a shaft B2, journaled in the hopper and parallel with theshaft B. The pinion b2 on the shaft B is provided vat its outer end witha hub C, formed with an arm c, lying in the plane of the gear-wheel band of such length as to engage a wooden pin p, inserted in one of thespokes of the gearwheel in the manner indicated in Fig. 3. By means ofthis pin and arm the rotation of the main shaft and of the gear-wheel bis imparted to the pinions h2 b3 and all these parts rotated to- Ygether until the resistance to the operation of the mill is sufficientto break the pin p, in which case the pinions b2 b2 no longer rotatewith the gear-wheel. Each of the pinions b2 b3 has on its inner end ahub extending into the hopper A4, one of these hubs, lettered C', beingshown in Fig. 3. Two breaking-cylinders D D are mounted on the shafts BB2, respectively, and each of these breaking-cylinders is connected withthe hub of the corresponding pinion in the manner indicated in Fig. 3,in which c is a lug formed on the hub C',l and CZ is a corresponding lugformed on the breaking-cylinder D, the two lugs c cl being in suchengagement that the rotation of the pinion and its hub rotates thebreakingcylinder in the same direction. The breaking -cylinders areprovided with projecting teeth T, which pass between correspondingridges R (see Figs. 2 and 3) and serve to crush any coarse material-suchas ear IOO corn-placed in the hopper, and thus prepare it to be operatedupon by the grinding mechanism beneath. Immediately beneath thebreaking-cylinders D D' and in the bottom of the hopper is an openingextending from end to end of the hopper and from one side partly acrossthe bottom thereof, and just under this openingis a slide E, alsoextending from.

end to end of the hopper and adapted to be moved from side to side inorder to wholly or partly close the opening over it. (See Figs. 2, 3,and S.) On the lower face of each of the ends of this slide is formed arack having a suitable number of teeth, and in engagement with this rackis a pinion ZJ, mounted on a shaft Iu,joiir11aled in the Walls of thecasting A2 and provided at one end with a notched hand-wheel F, Fig. 3,by means of which it may be turned for the purpose of moving the rack. Apawl f, pivoted to the casting A2, engages the hand-wheel F and servesto hold it stationary in any given position, and thus to secure anydesired opening between the hopper` and the chamber beneath, and therebyregulate the feed from the crushing mechanism to the grinding-chamber.

In the hollow casting A2 are two spaces or chambers lying on oppositesides of the grinding-chamber and communicating with the interior of thegrinding-chamber through the openings in its ends already mentioned, andimmediately below these two spaces or chambers are shallow semicylindrical depressions formed in the base A, as indicated in Fig. 2. Inthe bottom of each of these depressions is an opening which is closedwhen the mill is in use by means of a plate II, provided with an obliqueridge R', formed on its uppersurface. Each of these plates has adownwardly and laterally extending arm Zt, which is held in place bymeans of a bolt 71,', provided at its upper end with a nut n and at itslower end with a wooden pin p', in the manner indicated in Fig. 2. Theupper end of each of the bolts 7L passes through a flange on the base A,while its lower end is connected with the arm 71J by means of the woodenpin, and the nut n provides for drawing the plate upward into positionand holding it there securely. lVhen an y unusual or excessive strain isbrought to bear on the plate, however, the pin p' breaks and the platedrops down and relieves the strain.

Immediately above each of the plates II is a feeding-cylinder G,provided with teeth T', havin g bevel edges adapted to co-operate withthe oblique ridges R' on the plates II and force grain or other materialfrom both directions into the grinding-chamber. These feedin g-oylindersextend into the grinding-chamber and engage at their inner ends with aplate I, Fig. G, mounted on and loosely keyed to the shaft. One of theteeth T of each of the feeding-cylinders enters a corresponding openingin the plate I, so that the rotation of the plate with the shaft rotatesthe feedingcylinders, and the plate itself is provided with a series ofmarginal lugs t', entering corresponding' notches inthe inner margin ofa donble-faeed annular grinding-plate K, Fig. G, having projecting lugs7n, which serve to scrape the meal from the bottom of thegrinding-chamber and carry it to the dischargespout a', through which itescapes. The double-faced grinding-plate K lies approximately at thecenter of the grinding-chamber and on opposite sides of it, andco-operating with it are two stationary grinding-plates K' K2, seated inframes L L', in the mannershown in Fig. It. Each of these frames hasoutwardly-projecting lugs Z, which rest upon correspondingly-plaeed lugsZ', formed on the inner face of the grinding-chamber and preventingrotation of the frame, and each f rame is also formed with hooked orundercut lugs Z2, which secure the grinding-plates K' F2 in place, thegrinding-plates being provided with marginal lugs which pass into thenotches in the lugs Z2 and are retained thereby. The frame L has on itsouter face a cylindrical neck N, which rests in a corresponding bearingin the base-plate, the neck and the bearing being both turned to taccurately, and thus secure the centering of the frame and thegrinding-plate which it supports. Longitudinal movement of the neck N inits bearing is prevented by means of a shoulder n', which forms a stopfor the end of the neck.

The frame L is provided on its outer face with a neck N', restingin abearing in thebaseplate and serving to center the frame and itsgrinding-plate but the neck N' is free to move longitudinally in itsbearing for the purpose of adjusting the grinding-plates K K2 upon theshaft, and thereby varying thespaces between the central double-facedgrinding-plate and the two outer non-rotating plates.

rlhe frame L' is adjusted by means of the mechanism illustrated in Figs.1, Lt, and 7, in which O is a yoke mounted loosely on the shaft andextending laterally in opposite directions therefrom, and o o are tworods having their ends seated in sockets in the inner face of the yokeand the outer face of the frame L. A lever I), pivoted at one end on avertical boss formed on the base A, rests against a lug on the center ofthe outer face of the yoke O, and is operated by means of a bolt P2,passing through the free end of the levcrand provided with a notchedhand-wheel F', resting against the end of the lever and serving to pressthe lever against the yoke, and thereby to lessen the spaces between thegrinding-plates. A pawl j', pivoted to the lever P, engages thehand-wheel and prevents its accidental rotation, and it is evident thatby means of the lever, the hand-wheel, and the pawl the plates may beadjusted as dcsired and held securely in any given position.

In the construction of the various parts hereinbefore described variousdetails are embodied which serve to cheapen their manufacture andfacilitate their connection and IOO combination in the machine. Thus,for instance, the discharge-spout a' is held in place by means of a luga2, Fig. 2, formed on the lower surface of the spout near its inner end,and a single bolt and nut connecting' the upper part of the inner end ofthe spout with the wall of the grinding-chamber. The lug a2 being firstbrought into engagement with the wall at the lower margin of the openinginto the grinding-chamber, the spout is next brought into workingposition and the bolt inserted, and the fastening of the spout in placeis thereby completed. The connection of the pinions b2 b2 with thecrushing-cylinders is another instance, and the connection of thefeeding-cylinders G with the grinding mechanism on the shaft B is stillanother. The connection of the grinding-plates K' K2 with the framesthat hold them, through the simple rotation of the grinding-plates intosuch a position as to bring their marginal lugs into engagement with theundercut lugs of the supporting-frames, is an extremely simple andconvenient mechanical device, and the connection of various of the partsby means of their own Shapes and without the use of bolts, screws, orkeys is resorted to wherever the general construction of the milll willallow it.

The operation of the mill hereinbefore described, while sufcientlyevident from the detail description of the parts, may be again brieflystated. Coarse material, such as ear corn, being placed in the hopper,is crushed by means of the rotation of thecrushing-cylinders D D', thecrushed product being admitted to the chambers below the hopper throughthe opening in the bottom thereof at a rate dependent upon the positionof the regulating-plate E,Which may be adjusted as desired by turningthe hand-wheel F. On reaching the chambers below the hopper and onopposite sides of the grinding-chamber the crushed material comes incontact with the feeding-cylinders G and is forced from both directionsinto the grinding-chamber, where it is subjectedto the action of thedouble-faced rotating grinding-plate K and the stationary plates K K2,which lie on opposite sides thereof. The space between these plates maybe regulatedas desired by means of the yoke O, rods 0, lever P, and theparts co-operating therewith, and the ground material, after passingfrom the spaces between the hoppers, is carried by the lugs or Scraperson the central grinding-plate to the discharge-spout, where it escapes.Provision for unusual and excessive strains upon the parts is made bythe use of the breaking-pin 79, which connects the crushing mechanismwith the main drivinggear and of the breaking-pin p', forming a part ofthe support of each of the bottom plates, which lie under thefeeding-cylinders. The connection of the pinions b2 b3 with thecrushing-cylinders facilitates the separation of the parts and thereplacing of such parts as maybe broken,and the same thing is true plyfed through the opening at the bottom of the hopper to thefeeding-cylinders below.

Having now described and explained my invention, what I claim as new,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination, with the hopper A4,

the shafts B' B2, and the crushing-cylinders D D', of theengaging-pinions b2 b3, mounted on said shafts, and the gear-wheel h',mounted on the same shaft with the pinion b2, said pinion being providedwith an arm impinging upon a break-pin p, set in the gear-wheel, wherebythe motion of the gear-wheel is communicated to the crushing-cylindersthrough said breaking-pin and excessive strain upon thecrushing-cylinders may break the pin and destroy the connection betweenthe gear-wheel and the crushing mechanism, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

2. The combination, with the base Av and the shaft B, journaled therein,of the doublefaced central grinding-plate rotating with the shaft, thenon-rotating frames L L', lying on opposite sides of said centralgrinding-plate and provided with the undercut lugs Z2andwith means forcentering them, and grindingplates K' K2, provided with marginal lugsadapted to enter and to be secured by the undercut lugs Z2,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, with the base and the shaft B, journaled therein, ofthe plate I, keyed to the shaft, the grinding-ring K, connected withsaid plate and rotating therewith, the non-rotating frames L L', formedwith necks N N', respectively journaled in bearings in the base, thegrinding-plates K K', secured in said frames, and mechanism foradjusting said grinding-plates, consisting of the yoke O, rods o 0,connecting said yoke with the frame L', the lever P, adapted to bepressed against said yoke, and the bolt P2, and hand-wheel F', adaptedto operate said lever, whereby the spaces between the grinding-platesmay be varied as desired, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

4. rlhe combination, with the base-plate, the main shaft journaledtherein, and the grinding mechanism and feeding mechanism mountedthereon, of the detachable bottom plates H H, lying beneath the feedingmechanism and co-operating therewith, the arms or levers h, formed onsaid plates, the bolts 7L', connecting the free ends of said arms withthe base plate, and the breaking-pinsp, forming the connection of saidbolts with said arms, whereby excessive strain upon the feedingmechanism may break said pins and disconnect said bottom plates from thebedplate, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

IOO

IZO

ing at their inner ends the plate I, whereby the rotation of the shaftrotates both the 1o grinding and feeding mechanism, substantially as andfor the purpose set forth.

DANIEL C. STOVER. Witnesses:

W. A. MERRIFIELID, L. HUGHES.

